The name Lampyres, French for firefly, came from a joke. Friends teased Francois-Xavier Daure that he looked like a glowing insect as he pruned his vines by headlamp in the dark hours before sunrise. The label stuck.
Backstory
Francois-Xavier Daure is the fourth generation of his family to grow grapes around Espira de l'Agly in the Roussillon. In 2015 he joined Tom Lubbe at the celebrated Matassa, and that same July took full control of the family domaine and began converting it to organic farming. The first Lampyres vintage came in 2016, just 600 bottles of the Anima and Luminescence cuvees made in his garage.
The Region
Espira de l'Agly lies in the Agly valley of Roussillon, a sun-drenched corner of southern France known for old vines and schist and limestone soils. The estate now covers around 16 hectares.
Vineyards and Farming
All the vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically, with an emphasis on biodiversity and soil vitality. The aim is healthy, expressive fruit grown with respect for the land.
Winemaking
In the cellar Daure works without additives or intervention. The wines see only minimal sulfur and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
The Wines
The portfolio ranges across whites, skin-contact orange wines and reds, with cuvees such as Anima, Luminescence, Calentu and Contre-Attaque, each made in the same hands-off spirit.
